A new planner is easiest to use when the first few pages are already filled in. Before January 1, set aside half an hour and work through these five steps. You can follow along with our free printable sampler: https://payhip.com/b/dDvCI
1. Circle the big dates on the year at a glance.
Start with the full-year calendar. Mark holidays, trips, school breaks and deadlines you already know about. Seeing the whole year on one page shows where the busy stretches are before you get to them.
2. Write your intentions for the year.
Skip the long list of resolutions. Write down what you want more of, what you want less of, and three goals for the year. Keep it short enough to reread every month.
3. Add birthdays and important dates.
Copy over birthdays, anniversaries and renewal dates once, and you won't have to hunt for them again all year.
4. Sketch your plans by month.
Give each month a line or two: a project, an event, a goal. It doesn't need to be detailed. It just needs to be written down.
5. Set up your first week.
On the weekly spread, choose your top three priorities, write your to-do list, and add appointments to each day. Do this every Sunday evening and the week starts already sorted.
Try it free. The 2027 Planner Sampler has seven real printable pages: 2027 at a glance, intentions, important dates, a January calendar and focus page, and a full weekly spread. Download it here: https://payhip.com/b/dDvCI
Want the whole year? The 2027 Weekly Planner is a printed paperback, dated January to December 2027 with a Monday start, a calendar and focus page for every month and a two-page spread for every week. It comes in a floral edition (Henri Fantin-Latour's Roses in a Bowl) and a Charcoal Edition (Hokusai's Storm below Mount Fuji). Find it on Amazon by searching "Wood Between Studio 2027 Weekly Planner".
Watch the flip-through: https://youtube.com/shorts/R8V9eR1poO0
Keep reading: A 15-Minute Sunday Planning Routine and Choosing a 2027 Planner as a Gift.